Say Goodbye to Farmers Markets, Y’All: It’s Time for Winter CSAs

Last Wednesday's trip to my local farmer's market in Brooklyn's famed Prospect Park was bittersweet: The tents were bustling with shoppers gathering last-minute Thanksgiving bounty and sipping hot apple cider, but knowing that it was the last weekday marketplace until Spring put a slight damper on things. I'm lucky enough to have a year-long Saturday one just over a mile away, but not everyone is so fortunate--and as seasonal markets close down and winter rolls in, much of the country is losing its connection to farm-fresh foods, at least for a few months. Tear.

Gourmet/Romulo Yanes

But don’t let the lack of fresh farmers’ markets get you down–there are plenty of ways you can get local goods and shop sustainably throughout the winter. You may not get Jersey tomatoes or corn on the cob, but hey, that’s what eating seasonally is all about, amirite?

TRY: CSA Winter Shares

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSAs, are programs for which you essentially buy a share of a nearby farm and are rewarded with weekly or bi-weekly deliveries–dropped off at a local pick-up spot–of whatever’s currently being harvested. Many CSAs only run through the fall, but some will ship out root vegetables, dark leafy greens, onions and garlic, or eggs (or citrus fruits and avocado if you live in a warm-enough climate) throughout the winter. Find one at localharvest.org–most of them are taking sign-ups now!

TRY: Community-Supported Fisheries

Like CSAs, but for sustainable seafood, these organizations source from up and down the coast to bring you fresh catches year-round. There are about 30 nationwide, and if you live close enough to the shore you may be able to find one near you. Check localcatch.org for locations around the country.

TRY: Maple Tree Adoption

It may not be local (unless you live in Vermont), but Tonewood’s Adopt-a-Maple Tree program is its own fun twist on a CSA. An annual fee gets you an adoption certificate and photo of a sustainably forested tree, plus four shipments of goodies throughout the year, including delicious syrups, candies and wafers.

TRY: Frozen Fruit CSAs

Have we told you how much we love frozen fruit in the winter? Apparently so do a lot of farms: Winter fruit CSAs, consisting of frozen-at-the-peak-of-freshness items like berries, sweet peppers and applesauce, are popping up across the country. Visit wintersunfarms.com for locations in New York State, Philadelphia and North Carolina.

TRY: Meat CSAs

Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, you name it: These farm shares will provide you everything you need to satisfy your paleo cravings. We love that they provide high-quality meat and encourage us use every part of the animal–but pay close attention to the share size: If your household doesn’t eat a ton of meat, you may want to split it with a friend. Search for “meat” and your zip code at LocalHarvest.org.

TRY: Wine (or Beer!) Club

Planning a cold-weather getaway to Sonoma? Instead of buying Chilean or Italian vino the rest of the year, why not sign up for wine club shipments from a favorite vineyard? Or check out the U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club, offering a dozen craft brews in every monthly mailing. Sure, these two are a bit of a stretch from our original topic at hand … but, hey, it’s gonna be a long, cold winter.